Electrical connection means



June 18, 1940. H. A DOUGLAS 2,205,244

ELE}GTRICAI.|v CONNECTION MEANS Filed 'June 10, 1935 Patented June 1s, 1940 UNITED sTA'rEa PATENT oFl-*ic Kingston Products Cor of Indiana poration, a corporation Appncaun June 1o, 1935, sei-iai No. 25,116

4 Claims. (Cl. 173-328) My invention relates to electrical connection means and may be'embodied in terminal posts adapted for the reception of conductor terminals. In its more specic aspects my invention relates 'to terminal posts mounted or mountable on a base, and more particularly to terminal posts adapted for the reception of plug conductor terminals of the snap type. The principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved electrical connection means of these types. In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application, I have shown for purposes of illustration, one form which my invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a terminal post mounted on a base, embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the construction shown in Figure 1, enlarged, the section being taken transverse to the longitudinal extent of the base. Figure 2 also includes, in addition, a plug conductor terminal of the snap type cooperable with the terminal post,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the post shown in Figure 1, viewed from a different angle, and before the post is assembled with one of the elements of the base, the element of the base with which the post is to be assembled, being fragmentarily shown in perspective,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the parts shown in Figure 3 after these parts have been fastened together, one of the parts having a portion cut away for the sake of clearness,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line.'I--'I of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows, with parts omitted for the sake of clearness.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention a terminal post I0 is mounted on a base II. The terminal post I0 is here shown as having a solid metallic body portion I2 of square cross-section, having oppositely disposed longitudinally extending faces I3, I4 and oppositely disposed longitudinally extending faces I5, I6 at right angles to the faces I3, I4. The body portion I2 is here shown as provided with two plug conductor ter minal receiving transverse apertures Il, I8 which may be -formed by drilling through the body I2 from one of the oppositely 5 disposed faces I3, I4 through the other. The upper end of the terminal post I0, as viewed in Figures 1 and 2, is frustroconical and is provided witha chamber I9, adapted to receive a detent means 20. 'I'he chamber I9, proper, may 10 be formed by a longitudinal bore 2| which is put in communication with the upper transverse aperture I'I by means of a communicating bore 22 of lesser diameter than the bore 2| of the chamber proper.

'Ihe detent means 20 is here shown as comprising a generally hemispherical portion 23 adapted to extend freely through the communieating bore 22 into the transverse aperture I'I. The detent means 20 is provided with an annular 20 flange 24 adapted to be seated on a shoulder 25 formed at the end of the bore 2 I. The detent means 20 is biased to the position shown in ligure 2 by means of a helicel spring 26, disposed in the bore 2l, one end of which bears against the 25 annular flange 24 and the other end of which bears against an abutment 2l formed, in this instance, by closing inwardly the metal surrounding the upper end of the bore 2t of the chamber I9. The detent means 20 is here shown 30 as including an integral shank 28 disposed within the helical spring 26 and serving to guide the detent means 20 for longitudinal movement in cooperation with the spring 26 and the bore 2l. The lower end of the terminal post is also provided with a chamber 29, similar to the chamber I9, adapted to receive detent means 30, the upper end of the chamber 29 being in communication with the lower transverse aperture I8, through a communicating bore 3l, similar to the 40 bore 22. The detent means 30 is shown as identical with the upper detent means 20, except that, of course, the hemispherical portion of the lower detent means 30 extends upwardly into the lower transverse aperture I8.v The lower detent chamber '29 may be formed by drilling a longitudinal bore 32 into the lower end of the body portion I2 of the terminal post I0.

The lower end of the post is shaped to have a cylindrical portion 33 concentric with the longitudinal bore 32. The outside diameterv of the cylindrical portion 33 is, in this instance, less than the width of a wall of the square section part of the body portion I2 of the terminal post I0, and leaves a transverse shoulder 34 at the junction between the cylindrical portion 33 and 55 the square section body portion I2.

'I'he cylindrical end portion 33 is adapted to be disposed through a non-circular aperture 35 in a plate 36, here shown as of insulating material. The aperture 35 in the plate 36 is here shown as square, a side of the square having a length deslrably equal to the diameter of the cylindrical end portion 33, so that the square aperture 35 circumscribes the cylindrical portion 33.

In assembling the terminal post I3 with the plate 36, the cylindrical end portion 33 is inserted into the aperture 35 in the plate 36, the transverse shoulder 34 limiting the insertion of the cyllndrical'portion 33 through the aperture 35 by engagement of the shoulder with the upper (as viewed in Figures 1 and 2) surface of the plate 36. That part of the cylindrical end portion 33 projecting through the aperture 35 in the plate 36 and beyond the plate 36 is then spread radially outwardly, as by bending, pressing, or in any other suitable manner, until the spread portions form a continuous generally annular foot 31, the upper surface of which is in tight contact with the under surface of the plate 36, as viewed in Figure 2, thereby tightly mounting the post Ill on the plate 36. The metal of the cylindrical end portion 33 is preferably so worked that the previously circular bore 32 thereof is altered so that both the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the end portion 33 are at least in part of their longitudinal extent, worked into a square cross-sectional form, so as to have generally square inner and outer peripheries 36,'

39, as may be seen best in Figures 4 and 6. It will be evident, from a consideration of Figures 5 and 6, that the cross-sectional outline of the end portion 33, after having been worked as hereinbefore stated, changes gradually from a circular section at the shoulder 34, to a square section beginning above and extending to the lower face of the plate 36. That part of the end portion 33 which is worked to a square crosssection has outer peripheral walls tightly tting the inner periphery of the aperture 35 in the plate 36. Analogously to the cross-sectional outline i of the end portion 33, the bore 32 changes gradually from a circular section at the level of the shoulder 34, to a square section beginning above the lower face of the plate 36 and extending to the bottom of the foot 31.

When the post l0 has been mounted on the plate the detent means 30 and a spring 40,-

similar to the spring 26, may then be inserted in the detent chamber 29. Then the post lll and the plate 36 to which the post I0 is attached, is assembled with another plate 4|, here shown as of insulating material, the bottom of the foot 31 abutting the plate 4l. The plates 36, 4I may be held together in any suitable manner, these plates being here shown as disposed in a channel 42, the sides of which are provided with ngers 43 clinched over the top of the upper plate 36, thereby tightly holding the plates 36, 4l together.

It will be evident that the plate 4I serves as an abutment for the lower end of the spring 40.

The composite base Il formed by the plates 36, 4l and by the channel 42 may be fastened to a support in any suitable manner, as for exr ample by providing apertures 44, 45, extending through the components of the base Il, through which apertures 44, 45 fastening means (not shown) may be disposed.

II desired, spacing means (not shown) may be provided in spaces 46, 41 between the plates 36, 4l.

In Figure 2 is shown a plug'conductor terminal 48 cooperable with the terminal post l0,

the plug conductor terminal 43 including a gen erally cylindrical portion 43 provided with an annular furrow 53, the plug having a irustroconical end 5I. The plug conductor terminal 43 may be fastened to aV conductor 53 disposed therein by swedging, as indicated by swedge indentations 52. When the plug conductor terminal 43 is inserted into, for example, the transverse aperture I1, the frustro-conical end 5I serves to cam the detent means 23 upwardly, further inserting movement causing the hemi- Vspherical portion 23 to snap into the annular furrow 50. It will of course be evident that the plug conductor terminal 43 -ls cooperable with either oneoi the apertures i1, i3 or both apertures concurrently may receive' such plug conductor terminals.A

While but one terminal post I3 has been shown mounted on the base Il, it will be apparent that as many terminal posts as may be desired may be mounted on a single base.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention provides a new and improved electrical connection means, readily and conveniently constructed, assembled, and mounted on a support, and accordingly, accomplishes at least the principal object of my invention. On the other hand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the illustrated embodiment of my invention may be variously changed and modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied in other combinations than those illustrated, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacriiicing all ofthe advantages thereof, and that accordingly, the disclosure herein is illustrative only, and my invention is not limited thereto.

1. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a metallic terminal post having an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, said post having a solid body portion provided with a longitudinal bore at one end thereof, said body portion having a part margining said bore and adapted to extend` through said support aperture, said part being formed with cylindrical and non-cylindrical portions, and said cylindrical portion gradually merging with said noncylindrical portion; means including said part for fastening said terminal post to said support; detent means disposed within said-longitudinal bore and cooperable with said terminal post aperture; a member overlying said fastening means and the adjacent portion of said support, and secured to said support; and spring means interposed between -said detent means and said member for urging said detent means to operative position.

2. In combination: a support having an aperture provided with corners; a terminal post including a body provided with a cylindrical tubular portion extending into said aperture andhaving portions remote from the extreme free end of said tubular portion projecting and pressed into the corners of said aperture, a flange formed on said tubular portion pressed outwardly into gripping engagement with one side of said support whereby to draw the shoulder formed between said body and tubular portion against the opposite side of said support, a transverse terminal receiving aperture provided in said post intersecting the opening in said tubular portion, biasing means arranged in said opening and intersecting said receiving aperture,

and a backing secured to said support assisting to hold said biasing means in place.

3. In combination; a support having an aperture provided with corners; a terminal post including a body provided with a cylindrical tubular part extending through said aperture, a portion of said part projecting into the corners of said aperture, another portion of said part pressing against one side of said support whereby to draw the shoulder formed between said body and tubular part against the opposite side of said support, a terminal receiving aperture provided in said post, biasing means arranged in said tubular part and intersecting said terminal receiving aperture, and a backing secured to said support engaging said biasing means assisting to hold the same in place.

4. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a metallic terminal post having an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, said post having a solid body portion provided with a longitudinal bore at one end thereof, said body portion having a part margining said bore and adapted to extend through said support aperture, said part being formed with a cylindrical and a non-cylindrical portion, and said cylindricalportion gradually merging with said non-cylindrical portion; means including said part for fastening said terminal post to said support; biasing means disposed within said longitudinal bore and cooperable with said terminal post aperture; a member overlying said fastening means secured to said support for maintaining said biasing means in operative position.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS. 

